I bet if something like this were presented to an area commission the three drive-thrus would elicit much less pearl clutching over “the traffic!” than a 100 unit apartment complex, though!

Wow….this is so frustrating. Columbus needs to revamp its zoning laws asap

I'm going to take the contrarian view here and say that I don't really have any issues with this development. It's all about context, I'm super opposed to the drive thru CVS on Neil, because that's along pedestrian sized roads in the middle of a very walkable dense area. 

 

Olentangy River Road from Goodale to Kinnear is a nice long slice of suburbia. Starts with an office park, ends with a Target, and has a ton of fast food options and gas stations in between. It's the suburbia that serves everyone who lives in  VV and GV. It's also a 5 lane road sandwiched between an elevated highway, and railroad tracks. If you're expecting good urbanism you're delusional. If this was on Neil or 5th Ave, I'd be there with a pitchfork too, but it's not. All those people who live in the new dense apartments want Cane's or Wendy's or need gas and that's fine that's Olentangy River Rd. 

45 minutes ago, 17thState said:

I'm going to take the contrarian view here and say that I don't really have any issues with this development. It's all about context, I'm super opposed to the drive thru CVS on Neil, because that's along pedestrian sized roads in the middle of a very walkable dense area. 

 

Olentangy River Road from Goodale to Kinnear is a nice long slice of suburbia. Starts with an office park, ends with a Target, and has a ton of fast food options and gas stations in between. It's the suburbia that serves everyone who lives in  VV and GV. It's also a 5 lane road sandwiched between an elevated highway, and railroad tracks. If you're expecting good urbanism you're delusional. If this was on Neil or 5th Ave, I'd be there with a pitchfork too, but it's not. All those people who live in the new dense apartments want Cane's or Wendy's or need gas and that's fine that's Olentangy River Rd. 

The food options are not why people don’t like this development. The plans for the future of ORR are to make it more pedestrian friendly, and urban feeling. Building more of this crap, will make that harder and harder. They want to build this up into a more dense and urban area, that way BRT is a better option for people along this corridor. 
 

 I get that people want fast food and options, they should just be putting them in mixed used buildings that are at the sidewalk. Adding more and more drive thru options will never help walkability and will only continue to push car centric movement around the city. 

1 hour ago, 17thState said:

I'm going to take the contrarian view here and say that I don't really have any issues with this development. It's all about context, I'm super opposed to the drive thru CVS on Neil, because that's along pedestrian sized roads in the middle of a very walkable dense area. 

 

Olentangy River Road from Goodale to Kinnear is a nice long slice of suburbia. Starts with an office park, ends with a Target, and has a ton of fast food options and gas stations in between. It's the suburbia that serves everyone who lives in  VV and GV. It's also a 5 lane road sandwiched between an elevated highway, and railroad tracks. If you're expecting good urbanism you're delusional. If this was on Neil or 5th Ave, I'd be there with a pitchfork too, but it's not. All those people who live in the new dense apartments want Cane's or Wendy's or need gas and that's fine that's Olentangy River Rd. 

 

If it wasn't for the BRT plan, I would 100% agree. But with the city specifically identifying ORR as the NW corridor and to be up and running by 2030 (which I have doubt will happen in time), then it's not acceptable to me that something like this should be built or that ORR from Goodale to Kinnear should be accepted as is. The city should be simultaneously updating zoning for this corridor as they implement the BRT plan to prevent any more of this along the stretch. 

 

Why bother discussing or planning a BRT on ORR if we resign ourselves to it's just a suburban feeder? I think we should expect good urbanism here if this is going to be one of our first 2 high capacity transit corridor. If we don't expect and demand that, and developers aren't hanging their hat on it, what are we transporting in high capacity? A handful of apartment complexes, perhaps some single family home users? 

 

Otherwise, I'd roll my eye at it but not really care like ChickFilA replacing Teejays at Morse and High. 

Pretty much how I feel as well. If this route were not planned for the initial BRT route, I wouldn’t really care one way or the other about the plans. But I want BRT to be successful because, otherwise, I don’t think we have any chance of ever seeing any more improvements to our public transportation, at least not in my lifetime. And I don’t think making this area even more pedestrian unfriendly is going to help things. 

I just think the real issue is ORR is a just not a good spot for BRT. I mean geographically it makes sense for the same reason 315 makes sense, but as far transporting people who'd walk to stops it's a no go. It's walkable to practically nothing. It's not even like it has good bones, it's hemmed in by rail road tracks, a river, a highway, a cemetery, a half mile of OSU athletic facilities, and then inner belt suburbs. I could maybe wrap my head around a shuttle between Ohio Health, Future OSU Innovation District, and downtown but what else? I also find it very hard to believe that BRT inspires development the same way that rail transit does. 

 

It's a good place for them to drive through not drive to. We need more places to go to, not through.

On 4/14/2022 at 3:57 PM, DTCL11 said:

 

Grrrrr... (at the city. Not you. Lol) 

 

 But they can deny a demolition permit with much more freedom, no? 

Too late. The old building is coming down right now 😬

That may have lasted less time than the Bombay Bicycle Club building!

 

I wonder if there was a building on 161 somewhere that made it even less time.

Edited April 19, 20223 yr by GCrites80s

The Miller's at Easton opened in 2019 and has already been torn down.

It was a new build I take it?

36 minutes ago, GCrites80s said:

It was a new build I take it?

I'm assuming it was. They were huge restaurants

 

Edit: I stand corrected - the Easton location was a Kobe Japanese Steakhouse previously

Considering that Grandview Yard is just around the corner where there is plenty of availability if not potential for first floor restaurants, I'm disappointed that they didn't locate there. That neighborhood could use more than just Brekkie Shack and Chick-Fil A on the fringes. Cane's, Chipotle and Starbucks all have urban OSU locations, I agree that they should know better.

Chipotle's losing its exclusive sheen quickly. Their parking lots don't all seem way too small anymore and they have locations in Obetz, Groveport and two just for Canal now.

Owner of the two hotels at 1445 Olentangy River Road wants to demo the one fronting King. Pic of it from Google Images:

 

 

And then replace it with a five story Home 2 Suites extended stay hotel. 
 

 

5xNW recommended disapproval back in April (not sure why), but it goes before City Council later this month. 
 

Several big projects will get their first hearings at Council later this month, so that’ll be something to keep an eye on. 

That's an old Cross Country Inn motel. Outside-entry motels definitely don't fit this area anymore.

The old Miller’s Ale House is gone and the buildings for Chipotle, Starbucks, and Raising Canes are going up on the corner of ORR and 3rd Ave. 

 

 

 

22 minutes ago, amped91 said:

The old Miller’s Ale House is gone and the buildings for Chipotle, Starbucks, and Raising Canes are going up on the corner of ORR and 3rd Ave. 

 

 

 

Always happy for more fried chicken, but man is this such a poor use of the space at this location.

1 hour ago, TIm said:

Always happy for more fried chicken, but man is this such a poor use of the space at this location.

Unfortunately, that Canes is going to absolutely kill it in that location, justifying these kinds of decisions in their eyes.  I'll probably be there myself a few times as it will be the most convenient one from German Village.  I apologize for being part of the problem lol

Edited August 2, 20222 yr by TH3BUDDHA

I mean, it is *technically* denser than the previous site occupant... Just by an absolutely miniscule amount. God forbid they added like 2 floors of apartments above it...

21 hours ago, amped91 said:

The old Miller’s Ale House is gone and the buildings for Chipotle, Starbucks, and Raising Canes are going up on the corner of ORR and 3rd Ave. 

 

 

"old" Millers Ale House, which was built like 8 years ago...

Perhaps “former” would have been more appropriate lol I feel like these buildings won’t last much longer than that, either, before they decide to redevelop it again 😬

8 hours ago, amped91 said:

Perhaps “former” would have been more appropriate lol I feel like these buildings won’t last much longer than that, either, before they decide to redevelop it again 😬

Disposable architecture. 

The bottom pic is wild. 
 

Since the equipment is already here, why not dig a subway? :)

So it appears Kohl’s is going to be demoed and replaced with a 5 story apartment. Happy to see this, but I feel this area will be underdeveloped. I hope it isn’t, but I don’t have a lot of hope. 
 

 

10 hours ago, VintageLife said:

So it appears Kohl’s is going to be demoed and replaced with a 5 story apartment. Happy to see this, but I feel this area will be underdeveloped. I hope it isn’t, but I don’t have a lot of hope. 

 

Where is this in the City permit page? I can't find it in building permits. Are there any attachments?

Well, I'm happy about the apartments, I just wish it didn't always have to be at the expense of the shopping. We already lost the Kroger in that same corridor. 

25 minutes ago, PrestoKinetic said:

Well, I'm happy about the apartments, I just wish it didn't always have to be at the expense of the shopping. We already lost the Kroger in that same corridor. 

In their defense Kohl's is the most stale department store to exist, and these days they seem to be more of an Amazon drop-off than a store at all.

44 minutes ago, Pablo said:

 

Where is this in the City permit page? I can't find it in building permits. Are there any attachments?

It's Record 24601-00002

 

No available attachments yet.

44 minutes ago, Pablo said:

 

Where is this in the City permit page? I can't find it in building permits. Are there any attachments?

It’s on the second page of the engineering applications section. 

Just now, VintageLife said:

It’s on the second page of the engineering applications section. 

Link please? I can never find these.

5 minutes ago, columbus17 said:

In their defense Kohl's is the most stale department store to exist, and these days they seem to be more of an Amazon drop-off than a store at all.

Maybe for you youngsters, but it's the go-to store for us older folks. I hate the fact that all stores like this are relegated to the I-270 corridor. Why can't central city folks have big box stores other than Target?

2 minutes ago, Pablo said:

Maybe for you youngsters, but it's the go-to store for us older folks. I hate the fact that all stores like this are relegated to the I-270 corridor. Why can't central city folks have big box stores other than Target?

I don’t like big box because for me, if I’m shopping I have specifics (I.e. jeans). I’ll go to a store specifically known for that, buy them, and leave without taking half the store with me! 🤣

19 minutes ago, columbus17 said:

In their defense Kohl's is the most stale department store to exist, and these days they seem to be more of an Amazon drop-off than a store at all.

Fair point, I mean, yeah Kohl's is nothing spectacular lol. But when it comes to clothes I prefer it to Target, Old Navy and Marshalls, and I find it a great resource for gift shopping. But to Pablo's point, I'm just bummed that I have to drive even further out to Dublin or Hilliard to find something that I consider a basic shopping amenity; and local boutiques don't cater much to my casual style of clothing.

15 minutes ago, Pablo said:

Maybe for you youngsters, but it's the go-to store for us older folks. I hate the fact that all stores like this are relegated to the I-270 corridor. Why can't central city folks have big box stores other than Target?

I don't think we want them! I'm choosing to shop local every chance I get, I want to give my money to my neighbors not a giant corporation when I can.

This was, last I recall a few years pre-pandemic, the highest grossing Kohls in Central, Ohio. But I don't know if that held up since. 

 

Big box stores are what they are in terms of goods. They will always serve a purpose and be popular. What they don't have to be is big box stores. Even suburban Houston has more urban big box stores than our urban core so ideally, I don't think it would be bad to aim to keep them, but just get them incorporated into better development, especially along this corridor. If we could shift some of Lennox tennants to this place and the The City, I think that will further push for better development. Just have to convince the big box stores to take the chance. 

I'm curious if there's proof that the Kohls will be demolished? There's a chance they're just siphoning off part of the parking lot (maybe closest to the river) to start redeveloping it. There are also many two-story Kohls stores that they could build in its place if they wanted to keep it as part of the re-development (like this one outside of DC with structured parking: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ykMjF9Ww6umnHCMz9; or this one in Chicago: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ubTJf4b2U5LJreLH7). Maybe not necessary yet but along the lines of the re-developed Kroger just south (is that space still empty?)

16 minutes ago, jebleprls22 said:

I'm curious if there's proof that the Kohls will be demolished? There's a chance they're just siphoning off part of the parking lot (maybe closest to the river) to start redeveloping it. There are also many two-story Kohls stores that they could build in its place if they wanted to keep it as part of the re-development (like this one outside of DC with structured parking: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ykMjF9Ww6umnHCMz9; or this one in Chicago: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ubTJf4b2U5LJreLH7). Maybe not necessary yet but along the lines of the re-developed Kroger just south (is that space still empty?)

It does say that part of the utility infrastructure will support the demo of the current building, and I don’t know of any others back there. Maybe it will just be a portion of the kohls building, but it sounds like it will be the entire building. 

These older big-box store sites with parking lots are so colossal that there is indeed room. People don't idly shop because they are bored all the time like they did before the internet and video games so parking lots don't have to be as big as they used to be.

Most parking lots like that are never full or even remotely close to it - definitely a possibility. Crawford Hoying does both new build and property holding from what I've seen - if the tenant can pay and they can subdivide the lot and make more, I don't see why they wouldn't.

OH also rents part of the lot for employee parking. With two new garages coming online in the next couple years, they may have decided they won’t need that extra parking anymore…freeing it up for redev. 

10 hours ago, amped91 said:

OH also rents part of the lot for employee parking. With two new garages coming online in the next couple years, they may have decided they won’t need that extra parking anymore…freeing it up for redev. 

I can agree - they spent 30k on getting one more parking space in the new garage. I'd say they're doing everything they can to keep walking distance at a minimum and/or avoid needing a shuttle.

12 hours ago, amped91 said:

OH also rents part of the lot for employee parking. With two new garages coming online in the next couple years, they may have decided they won’t need that extra parking anymore…freeing it up for redev. 

OH also uses the western portion of the building as a warehouse.

On 1/8/2024 at 11:37 AM, columbus17 said:

In their defense Kohl's is the most stale department store to exist, and these days they seem to be more of an Amazon drop-off than a store at all.

Haha I was going to say, I'll miss the convenient Amazon returns here. But I hope for adense well planned development here, it's a pretty unique big site. I worry we'll get a generic 4 story and keep the acres of parking already there 

54 minutes ago, 17thState said:

Haha I was going to say, I'll miss the convenient Amazon returns here. But I hope for adense well planned development here, it's a pretty unique big site. I worry we'll get a generic 4 story and keep the acres of parking already there 

I remembered seeing plans at some point that shows it becoming a dense area. I’m pretty sure that just means some 5-6 story buildings, but it would be better than the current use. It sucks, because it would be a good area to build up a similar bridge park style development, especially with The Canterbury apartments having a decent amount of people. 

11 hours ago, VintageLife said:

I remembered seeing plans at some point that shows it becoming a dense area. I’m pretty sure that just means some 5-6 story buildings, but it would be better than the current use. It sucks, because it would be a good area to build up a similar bridge park style development, especially with The Canterbury apartments having a decent amount of people. 

I'd love to see more engagement with/density along ORR. Hopefully it's not all isolated behind those frontage lots. The massive lot for the single Chase ATM needs a better use and feels emblematic of the current density. 

I was able to find the article with how the site should be developed. Doubt it will happen though. 
 

Report Shows Development Opportunities Along Proposed Transit Route

Found this article from 2015, had no idea they have owned that property this long. it has links to other articles about how it should be developed. 
 

Crawford Hoying Mulling Options for Kohl’s Site on Olentangy River Road

Edited January 10, 20241 yr by VintageLife

I wonder if this is the L-shaped building that was on the permit filing.